Teams worked on innovative solutions for the future of wine in the areas of direct-to-consumer and wine tourism
September
20, 2024 – The second edition of Sogrape Impact Hack once again brought together the innovation community to reinvent the wine industry with innovative and sustainable solutions. Held at Espaço Casa Ferreirinha in Vila Nova de Gaia, the event brought together more than fifty participants, reaffirming Sogrape’s commitment to accelerating innovation in the sector.
Over the course of 12 intense hours, teams of students, professionals, and wine enthusiasts took on the challenge of developing disruptive solutions for Direct-to-Consumer and Wine Tourism—two areas critical to building connections between brands and consumers. This creative marathon, which included the participation of about 20 Sogrape executives as mentors and judges, began with an online session on September 16, during which the teams began sketching out ideas, culminating in the in-person event on September 19, where the concepts took shape through prototyping sessions and collaborative work.
“The second edition of the Sogrape Impact Hack once again demonstrated the immense potential for creativity and innovation when space is made for co-creation and the exchange of ideas. We were impressed and inspired by the quality of the solutions presented, which reflect the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit that Sogrape seeks to cultivate,” said André Campos, Director of Strategy, Innovation, and Transformation at Sogrape. "These initiatives help us rethink the future of the wine industry in a sustainable way, while engaging the community in a process of open collaboration that is transformative and dynamic."
Among the more than 10 projects submitted, three teams were awarded prizes totaling €4,000. In addition, an additional amount will be donated to nongovernmental organizations, reinforcing Sogrape’s commitment to positive social impact.
First
prize was awarded to the “Slay” project, developed by a multidisciplinary team of students from the School of Engineering, the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Porto, and the Faculty of Architecture at the University of Lisbon. The team proposed bringing Sogrape and its brands to major European cities, offering curated wine experiences of various kinds.
The second prize recognized the SoUvas project, from the Faculty of Engineering in Porto, which proposed the creation of an Artificial Intelligence-based solution that, drawing on its wine knowledge, will be capable of making accurate wine recommendations.
The third prize went to the Spotlight project, developed by students from IPAM, which presented an automated vending solution for small-format stores to serve areas where wine is not typically readily available.
The Sogrape Impact Hack reaffirms its role as an integral part of Sogrape’s open innovation strategy, focusing on collaboration and creativity to reinvent the wine sector. Through this event, Sogrape continues to assert its position within the innovation ecosystem, promoting initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable and positive future, and reaffirms the wine sector—often considered traditional—as a dynamic sector with its sights set on the future.